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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23460946">Discovery</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/mankaichan/pseuds/mankaichan'>mankaichan</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>A3! (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Crushes, First Kiss, Fluff, Kissing, Love Confessions, M/M, Romance</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 15:41:15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,502</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23460946</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/mankaichan/pseuds/mankaichan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>‘For a long time, Taichi honestly thought he was straight.<br/>He’d always wanted a girlfriend, after all. He’d had dozens of crushes on girls; his first crush was a girl. Right?’ </p><p>In which Taichi takes a while to realise that he’s fallen in love with a boy.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Nanao Taichi/Rurikawa Yuki</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>109</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Discovery</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">For a long time, Taichi honestly thought he was straight.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">He’d always wanted a girlfriend, after all. He’d had dozens of crushes on girls; his first crush was a girl. Right? </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">So when Taichi walks into the Mankai theatre and first lays eyes on Yuki, he assumes this is yet another girl that he’s fallen in love with. Yuki is beautiful, and adorable, and Taichi blushes and stutters and politely introduces himself, butterflies rising, hoping that his love story starts here. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Only, Yuki is quick to inform him that he’s a boy. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">And Taichi lets the realisation hit him and corrects himself. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">But although he tries to hide it, the butterflies haven’t gone away. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Days pass since their first meeting. Days turn into weeks, and weeks turn into months, and a series of events have led to Taichi sitting next to Yuki on his bed as they cut and sew the costumes for the theatre’s latest play. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Taichi is almost done with his current piece of work when his mind travels to the boy sitting next to him, as it has done so often lately. Taichi can’t shake the sense that Yuki reminds him of his first crush, and because of that, he becomes a little flustered and distracted around him more often than he’d like. It‘s a confusing (nonetheless pleasant) feeling, so Taichi ignores his more deep and difficult thoughts in favour of his simpler Yuki-thoughts, and as his mind travels, his eyes do too. He indulges himself for a moment, gazing at Yuki’s soft hair and pretty eyes and focused expression, squinting and pursing his lips as he sews up a part of the costume that looks particularly difficult to Taichi. He smiles, thinking about how talented Yuki is, how much he admires him. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Only, Taichi doesn’t notice that he’s been staring for too long. And when he does, it’s too late. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Hey, quit staring. And what’s with that goofy smile on your face?” Yuki snaps, head turning as he looks Taichi in the eyes with a scowl. Taichi jumps.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Ah! I’m sorry, Yuki-chan!” Taichi cries out apologetically, voice shaking. <em>He caught me,</em> he thinks mournfully. But at the same time, he can’t stop wondering how Yuki still looks so cute even when he’s angry... </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Whatever...” Yuki begins to say, but trails off as he looks at the fabric in Taichi’s hands. “Heh, not bad. You’re nearly done.” </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yuki smiles at him, and Taichi feels his heart skip a beat from the rare praise. His cheeks are heating up, and he might be blushing, but Taichi can’t bring himself to look away from Yuki and his stunning smile. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Uh...”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yuki’s voice pulls Taichi from his trance. Yuki leans forward slightly, looking confused and a little embarrassed. It’s now that Taichi realises how much he’s been staring, and how <em>he’s sure Yuki was staring back. </em></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yuki is about to ask Taichi what’s wrong, but the latter hurriedly laughs it off and gets back to work, trying to push down the bubbly feeling rising in his chest. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">This is strange. This is <em>incredibly</em> strange, and Taichi can’t understand why he feels this way.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">He smiles every time Yuki walks by, every time he sees him. He feels excited to spend time with him, more than he would for a regular friend. He blushes every time Yuki smiles at him, or compliments him. He feels nervous when Yuki looks at him for too long, or gets too close for comfort. He vividly remembers the times Yuki has held his hands and guided him through his sewing; during each one of those times, Taichi’s heart was pounding so hard he thought he was going to pass out. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yuki isn’t just a friend to him. He’s... different. Taichi can’t figure out how; he just knows.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The thing is, Taichi has felt this way before. For the girls he’s liked. For his first crush in particular. But Yuki isn’t a girl, so that couldn’t be right... could it? </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“...Taichi, what’s wrong?” </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Taichi is forcefully pulled from his thoughts as Yuki calls his name with unusual concern. He blinks, and sees Yuki staring at him, brow furrowed with worry. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“You’ve been spaced out for five minutes. Seriously, what’s the matter?” </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">It takes Taichi a while to register the question, but when he does, he brushes it off with a laugh. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Really? Haha... Don’t worry, Yuki-chan, I’m just fine!” Taichi lies, looking away. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">This turns out to be futile. Yuki shifts until he’s back in Taichi’s line of vision - and then he grips his chin with one hand so that Taichi is forced to meet his gaze. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Y-Yuki-chan?!” Taichi stutters nervously. He tries to move away, but Yuki’s grip is surprisingly strong, and he soon surrenders.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“You’re not fine,” Yuki says impatiently. “You’ve been acting different lately. You’re constantly lost in thought, and you seem kind of... I don’t know, distant? It’s not like you.” </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Taichi feels a pang of guilt as he looks back on his strange behaviour; and yet, he can’t hide the happiness he feels as he realises that Yuki cares about him.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Yuki-chan!” he exclaims. It’s difficult to manage a smile when Yuki’s holding his face so tightly, but he tries anyway. “Were you worried about me?!” </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yuki’s face flushes bright red, his hand dropping from Taichi’s chin instantly.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“D-don’t be so stupid! I just... You’re just slowing down our work by daydreaming, so stay focused already!” </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Taichi grins. “Sure thing!” he chirps, head feeling a little fuzzy as he keeps Yuki’s blushing face at the forefront of his mind. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><em>I wish a girl would look at me like that,</em> Taichi tries to think. And yet, as much as he denies it, a small part of him realises that compared to Yuki, other girls don’t matter to him right now. </span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“What did you want to talk to me about, Yuki-chan?” Taichi asks curiously. Yuki has invited him to the courtyard, telling him that he needs to discuss something important. It’s night. They’re alone. Yuki usually goes to bed so early; if he needs to see him now, Taichi can tell that this is urgent. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“...”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yuki can’t seem to conjure up words, averting his eyes and twirling a strand of hair around his finger nervously. <em>Cute,</em> Taichi thinks before he can stop himself - and then, <em>why is he looking at me so nervously? </em></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Listen,” Yuki finally says. “I’ve never been in love before. I’m sure you’ve heard. I was always one of the only people I knew who didn’t have a crush on anyone. That is... until now.” </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Taichi waits. Yuki takes a deep breath. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“... I like you.” </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The words are whispered quietly. So quietly that Taichi isn’t sure he’s heard them correctly. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Did Yuki say he... likes him? </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“What?” Taichi gasps before he can stop himself. He’s just in disbelief. Who would have a crush on him? Nobody’s ever liked him in that way before, he was always too short, too stupid, too strange. He’s never been popular-</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I said,” Yuki confesses, “I like you. I’m sure I do. I’ve never felt this way before, but you make me feel nervous and excited and happy all at the same time, and you might be an idiot, but I like that about you...” </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Taichi’s heart is pounding so hard he can hear it. This is the first time Yuki’s been so honest with him; but Taichi’s excitement comes from something even more than that. This relief, this delight - it’s almost like Taichi has been waiting for this confession.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">It’s almost like he returns Yuki’s feelings. And even though he’s a boy, Taichi can’t change how he feels, wouldn’t change it for the world.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">True, Yuki isn’t a girl. But, Taichi realises, he doesn’t need to be. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Taichi doesn’t say anything. Instead, he takes a step closer to Yuki. Then he takes another one, so that their bodies are nearly touching.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yuki seems to get the memo. It’s only seconds until he’s wrapping his arms around Taichi’s waist and tilting his head up so that their noses bump. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yuki blushes, inching closer to Taichi with every passing second, and Taichi feels his face quickly turning as red as his hair.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><em>This is a boy,</em> one tiny remaining part of Taichi’s consciousnesses reminds him, but as he mulls over the thought one last time, he finally comes to the conclusion that he’s been looking for.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yuki being a boy doesn’t matter to him. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Taichi feels Yuki’s lips touch his, and warmth spreads through his whole body. He smiles throughout their kiss, resting a hand on Yuki’s back and stroking it gently. He feels Yuki smile too. Taichi’s heart swells with happiness and... another feeling. One that’s sweet, and exciting, one that he finally recognises.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I love you,” Taichi murmurs between kisses. “I love you so much, Yuki-chan.” </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yuki’s half-lidded eyes open a little wider. He looks shocked - but he looks happy. He pulls away, arms still wrapped around Taichi’s waist, and smiles.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I love you too, Taichi.” </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>TL;DR: Taichi isn’t straight.</p><p>Thanks for reading! This is my first Taiyuki work so I’m sorry if it’s a little OOC, I tried my best!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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